Nick Benedict Dies: Soap Star On ‘All My Children’ & ‘Days Of Our Lives’ Was 77

Nick Benedict, who was a key part of such major soaps as All My Children, The Young and the Restless and Days of Our Lives, died July 14 of complications following emergency spinal surgery. He was 77 and died in Arizona.

An online obituary confirmed that Benedict died on his birthday. A July 15 Facebook post from a restaurant where his wife, Ginger, works set up a GoFundMe link.

“On July 2nd, Sunday Nick had emergency spinal cord surgery,” the Facebook post read. “On July 4th he was admitted to hospice. He is paralyzed from the neck down. He will need constant care and support. The fund was set up to “raise money to help with bills, food, and any medical expenses that may arise.”

Benedict was known for playing Phil Brent, a husband of Susan Lucci’s Erica Kane, in All My Children. He first appeared on the soap in 1973, taking over the role previously held by Richard Hatch. Benedict exited in 1978, earning a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series in 1979 for his performance in his final season. He played Michael Scott in The Young and the Restless in 1981, then was Curtis Reed in Days of Our Lives, whom he played in 93 episodes from 1993-2001.

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Beyond his soap opera roles, Benedict appeared on the original “Mission Impossibe” and “Hawaii Five-O” series. He also had parts on Knots Landing, Medical Center, The Dukes of Hazzard, and Tales from the Darkside.

He also appeared in 30 episodes of Tribes and seven of Santa Barbara.

He is survived by his wife of 22 years, Ginger. No memorial plans have been revealed.